I bought a second-hand Kenmore 15.12270 from a lady who told me all it needed was to be serviced. To me "service" means maintenance. If she had said "repair", I would have taken that to mean it was not working.

What's more, some of the steel parts I can see - the rod holding the presser foot especially - are rusted. The arm for the needle looks ok (sorry for my lack of correct terms). In the video she sent, I could see that the motor was running, but now I see the needle does not go up and down. The light works great though!

This is the first machine I have bought, I used to use my mother's for years for simple projects and repairs. I need a very basic machine to sew fur cushion covers. The fur is very light - I don't need an industrial machine for the weight.

My question is - would I be laughed out of the repair shop if I took this machine in to be "serviced". I don't drive. so even getting it there is an undertaking I am hesitate to attempt if the machine is not worth the cost of fixing - if it can be fixed.

Have you tried contacting the lady from whom you bought it? Explain the problems and maybe she will give you your money back. Had she offered you an opportunity to test drive it before you bought it? (That's always important)

First thing's first: the machine. There's not really a hard and fast rule about whether machines are worth fixing. Some may have historic value (probably not yours ;)) or sentimental value, etc., which will influence your decision. So whether you decide to fix your machine is highly dependent on many things. If I were you, I'd make a few calls to local repair shops to see what they think, and to find out how much they'd charge you to just take a look at it to see whether they think it's worth fixing. I took two machines (my New Home and a new-to-me-but-old Husqvarna) in for service a couple of years ago and, after looking at the Husqvarna, the repairman was very clear that the machine was unsalvageable, *and* he didn't charge me anything for that or for disposal of the thing. Considering that *every* trade in Denmark wants its pound of flesh to provide even a basic estimate, I was pleased. At any rate, I'd make a few calls and see if anyone has any bright ideas to get your machine running again -- after all, it could be as simple as a slipped drive belt or a single broken gear.

Second thing, though: dealing with the seller of your machine. You don't say where you purchased your machine. If it was Ebay or Etsy, both places have strong policies against seller fraud (which this sounds like to me). Likewise, PayPal and many credit card companies offer you purchase protection. If you purchased through an newspaper or Craigslist ad, I'd also make a strongly-worded report that the seller has intentionally deceived you. And there's always small claims court as a last resort, although that can be more trouble than its worth (and you're by no means guaranteed to collect any judgment you may win).

At any rate, I wish you the very best in getting your machine working and resolving the dispute with the seller.

It is worth a try. Do the sew and vac stores in your area fix sewing machines? I would try calling them and describe the problem to see if it is fixable. Most want you to bring them in but they have always been helpful to me with all types of machines and appliances. Sometimes a quick fix on the spot, sometimes tell me not worth it, sometimes have to leave it and order parts that take weeks to get. At least you would know.
As for the term service, it can very well mean it needs some work, not just a cleaning. But if she did intentionally send another machine video you can report fraud to Consumer Protection Agency online.
What you went through is just awful. I am so afraid of that happening to me. What was the site? I hope you can get it reasonably fixed.

Don't ever pay actual more money for an estimate anyplace, if you don't ever want to take the chance/risk of tossing away more good money over bad money. That is pretty simple right there. Only go get an estimate from some place on anything, that really is willing to just give you a "free" estimate instead, if you feel like that. That only makes common sense.

Maybe though, the machine only does not work now for you, all operator error wise and all on your part, because you just do not know how to use it. If so and that is the only problem, then you can't blame the person that sold it to you for that at all. Needles do not go up and down if you have your fly wheel clutch disengaged, on purpose, as if to wind a bobbin. In that case, it's supposed to be like that. In that case, if not working like that, it's all your own operator error instead, and you are only a victim of your own not knowing how to use the machine. Can't really blame other people for that at all.

Maybe if the machine was shipped to you in some kind of mail, and the box got dropped, and machine bent up and that is even why not working for you now. In that case, maybe it did work fine for her, but won't for you. If so, if you don't tell the person that, then that case, they would not have to be a "bad person" at all.

Where I live, a machine like that, working or not, would cost me, someplace between $14.95 and $35 at the charity re-sale Goodwill Store and maybe at most $125 tops at any sewing machine store, as a trade in there, if no rust and everything worked real nice. And I could even sew on it first. So, for me I would not even ever pay the freight to buy one, and have it mailed to me, as just the freight would probably cost me, at least $30 or $40 and often more than I would have to pay for an actual machine. And I would not even get to have my hands on it or get to test sew on it first.

I think a little tiny bit of rust on just one place like your needle bar, comes off with some sandpaper in about 1/2 a minute. I think a little tiny bit of rust all over and in many places though, means much, much worse, and that machine left someplace bad, and not worth paying anyone anything to do anything at all, and maybe just go find another machine instead.

I think no such thing as a Kenmore 15.12270 and it must be a 158.12270 instead. If working would be a nice machine, if all rusted out, it would not be.

You didnot say what kind of machine it is. It may have been sitting around someplace for years. If you can, take the top off, oil up the parts where metal touches metal and try to turn it by hand. than try the motor. If its slow but does turn, I have found that a hairdryer aimed into the innards works wonders. Sometimes you have to oil, heat, turn and do the same thing over again several times. You will also need to oil the bottom inside as well. If it has metal gears, you will need to grease them. I use a silicon grease and always use sewing machine oil. NEVER WD40 or 3 in 1 oil.
Good Luck

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